Abstract
Renewable energy has been identified globally as a key driver to achieve economic growth while ensuring minimal environmental harm. Simultaneously, the current development of green technology and its related policies have enhanced the growth of renewable energy in the country. The Malaysian palm oil industry, with 4.69 million hectares of planted land has a tremendous opportunity in supplying renewable energy in the form of biomass-based bioenergy and biogas from methane capture of palm oil mill effluent (POME). It is estimated that these palm based materials could generate up to 1260 MW of energy. This amounts to nearly 10% of the maximum energy demand of electricity in Malaysia. Therefore, oil palm-based biomass can be expected to play a prominent role in the future when the demand for renewable energy is expected to increase rapidly.